Saturday, October 08, 2005

What year is it?

The formerly enormously popular Republican president is seeing a drastic decline in his popularity one year into his second term. He is being attacked for neglecting to stem, or even promoting, a bloated, historically large budget. In response to congressional attacks from Democrats, and even a few Republicans, he says, "It is a very great satisfaction to me to find out there are so many economy-minded people in Washington. They didn't use to be here." He has recently been accosted for his wealth and free spending of tax payer dollars.

Concerns have arisen about the latest Supreme Court Chief Justice's conservativism.

The press reports several bombings and a spate of bomb hoaxes which has nearly paralyzed New York City's police.

In the Middle East an anti-Western Arab leader foments anti-American public sentiments against pro-Western leaders. An Imam leads rebel Muslims against a pro-Western Arab leader, threatening a Moslem holy war. Crushed by the Western troops, the religious leader and his rebels escape into the hills to nurse their wounds and plot future attacks.

Muslim terrorists bomb a public place in the Middle East killing ten and injuring 80. In this one year in one city terrorists killed 50 civilians and wounded 257 others. Western army colonel admits, "Every time we get one rebel, he is immediately replaced by another."

A formerly booming economy in the U.S. has stagnated. Reasons cited are the pro-business climate had encouraged borrowing and spending among citizens and businesses, as well as unconstrained spending and conspicuous consumption. Warnings of a recession loom.

African Americans are very popular in stage, screen and music industries. A black woman, six feet tall and described as having the power of a man in her serves and volleys, has taken the tennis world by storm, winning at Wimbledon.

All of these events occurred in 1957! Eerie isn't it?

The president was Eisenhower and his bloated budget proposed for 1958 was a scandalous $71.8 billion! The attacks on his wealth included the account that he was worth $1 million. He countered that he'd take someone up on that sale pronto. To this challenge, a Southern entrepreneur raised the million but the White House was silent about the offer.

The justice was Earl Warren and he angered conservatives with his ability to guide his fellow justices to some decidedly liberal decisions. A decision against DuPont acquiring and holding large amounts of GM stock was considered anti-big business. Civil rights decisions restored the job of a communist at the State Department, John Stewart Service, denied the government the right to withhold evidence contained in FBI files to a defendant, and reversed the conviction of five communists for violating the Smith Act in Los Angeles.

The bombings were committed by the "Mad Bomber", George Metesky in NYC. He was caught that year after 16 years of bombings.

In the Middle East, the anti-Western agitator was Russian-backed Egyptian leader Nasser, while the pro-Western leader was Jordan's King Hussein. The religious leader causing trouble was Sheik Ghalib bin Ali stirring up trouble against the Sultan of Oman. It was British troops that crushed the rebels.

The Moslem terrorists and the bombings were in Algeria. The cited casualties referred to the Algiers slum, the Casbah, and the colonel quoted was a French colonel in that city.

The entertainers referred to in the citation of prominent African-Americans included, Dorothy Dandridge, Harry Belafonte, Eartha Kitt and Lena Horne. The black woman tennis player is Venus Williams's predecessor, Althea Gibson.

Stay tuned for a further citation of some of the most significant issues of the year, 1957...

11 comments:

Beerme said...

kajun,

I'm guessing you weren't working at McDonalds.

Beerme said...

sgt usmc 1ea,

I was struck when researching this project by both how similar things are to that year and how very different, if that makes any sense...

MargeinMI said...

kajun, that explains a lot! ;oP

As far as 1957 goes, I wasn't even a twinkle in my daddy's eye yet! Double ;oP

Other than that, I agree with SGT. The more things change, the more they stay insane.

Beerme said...

Now kajun, perhaps Marge was just referring to your "artistic temperament". I know from experience there is quite an art to that body work. I usually worked in Bondo, though.

Now, my dad was a machinist and once in awhile he would bring home this really cool stuff called mercury. We would play with it like it was play-doh, rolling it around on tables, putting dirty pennies in it and cleaning them.

A father could get jailed for that, now.

Beerme said...

Jack E.,

I am very happy and relieved to know that "baby bird" is doing well. I am proud that he chose to serve, and for his reason.

Older Scrapplers know this 'cause I vented about it a little over a year ago, but in August of last year, my 19 year old son was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. That was a shock and awe campaign, there! Thank God he is doing OK, now. After a bad year of treatment he is cancer-free, at the moment and working full time in his "self-taught" engineering job.
I know you're worried about your son and I can sympathize with you. I hope and pray for the best for him and you!

Libby Gone™ said...

Nothing to add.
You people awe me.

camojack said...

I just missed that year...although if being "in utero" counts, I was around for most of it.

Beerme said...

Libby,

Awe, shucks!

Camo,

If we're counting in utero, I was mostly around in 1956, being born on January 25th...

Anyway, there is more to come in this walk down memory lane! Even though the year is special to me for obvious reasons, it was also a pivotal year for science and politics , sports, etc. Also, it is just old enough to be kinda historical for most people (those unborn in 1957 feel it is "history", those born around that time find it interesting because it gives them an idea of where they are from, while those older than me find it nostalgic).

Beerme said...

Jack E.,

Yes it is amazing!
And you're right it was gut wrenching, but it is (I hope) over now and we can look at it as just a really crummy year...

Anonymous said...

From a cancer survivor who, in 1957, had just graduated from HS in So.Cal. Beerme, so glad to know your son is cancer free. I've been the same for the past 3 years...knock on wood, and thank God every day.

To Jack e.: be very proud of your son...my step son is in the reserve and I am very proud of his service. (I put in my own 25 with the Air Force, and am proud of tht also.)

Beerme...one question...do you object to copying your writing and forwarding it to my friends and relatives...with all appropriate citations and references to your blog site? I would love to pass this one on. I'm a lurker at Scrapple, and have visited Freds and Pat's Rick, and also Libby's a few times, but rarily post.

Appreciate your research and prose.

Beerme said...

KC,

Wow! Great to hear you are free from cancer for three years! That's fantastic! We are hoping for the same from our son's progress.

I have no problem with your forwarding (copying)anything written here, given a proper citation. I appreciate your interest and enjoyment of my scribbling. C ome back any time!